brown



(No Model.) J BROWN 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

GAR STARTER.

AM. w A 8. LF O0 1|. s Rw N n.. .k K w 1o 8 1 N 1W m. ab a A mb D u NTN w NN b Pg TU wf m Tu n nv t a D...

Bka

W/fvfssfsi @My/Mm@ (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. E. BROWN.

GAR STARTER. No. 801,476. Patented July 8, 1884.

(No Model.)

, 4 Sheets-#Sheet 3. J. E. BROWN.

GAB STARTER.

Patented July 8, 1884.

Fig. 7T

Wfl/:2:55565:

n. PERES. Pkotouuwgnvmr. wnlvngwn. nA C,

(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheetl 4.

J. E. BROWN.

GAR STARTER Patented 111131.33I 1884.

Fig 8 ,Im/enfer f@ @W0 Wzlzzesss:

Unirse SanitasV artnr rricn.

JOHN E. BROVN, F LASING-BURG, NEV YORK.

CAR-STARTER ,SFECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 301,476, dated July 8, 1884.

Application filed May 3, 18154.

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN E. BROWN, of the village of Lansingburg, county of Rensselaer, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Horse-Car-Starter Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of mechanism which are used upon horse-cars to start them after having been stopped independently of the animals that draw them.

The object of my invention 'is to have the momentum ofthe car when being stopped used as a means to store itself up, and when freleased have it act to start the car; in fact,

making the storage of the momentum' theVv means used to stop the car Without the aid of brakes, and to so operate the mechanism that stores up the momentum and releases it to start the car from one and the same hand- Wheel and vertical shaft.

Accompanying this specifi cation, to form a 'part of it, there are four plates of drawings,-

containing eight figures, illustrating my invention, with the same designation of its parts by letter-reference used in all of them.

Of these illustrations, Figure l shows a perspectirekof the under side of the car, and the i i floor by the plate c?, arranged on the shaft attached mechanism, with the side of the car that is toward the sight turned np on an ineline. Fig. 2'shows a side elevation of that part of the mechanism connected with the vertical hand-shaft and Wheel by which the parts areput in gear to so act-nate the momentum of the car as communicated from one of its axles to Wind up the spring. Fig. 3 shows an end elevation of the car-platform, the axle. the beveled gears upon awheel that is secured to the latter, the ratchet-wheel into which the chain connected with the spring is made to hook, the beveled gears which move the ratchet-Wheel, and a friction-clutch arranged to make the ratchet-Wheel engage with that part of the latter on which the gears are placed.-

Fig. 4.-' shows a side elevation of the hand- (No model.)

moved by the recoil-force of the spring, imme diately after having been started thereby. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the car-axle, the rateheted Wheel, the beveled gears which move the latter, the beveled gears on a Wheel that is secured to the car-axle, and a frictioirclntch upon the ratchet Wheel. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the spring used to store up the momentum of the car, and showing also a section of the drum inc-losing the spring and the fixed bar to which the inner end of the spring is attached, and on which the drum turns. Fig. 7 is a diametrical section. taken through the coil of the spring, the drum inclosing it and the bar to which the inner end of the spring is attached, and on which the drum turns. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the bottom of the car and the attached m echanism.

' V its shaft," the latter being projected up through the car-floor in the usual. manner, and held in place Where passing through the carabove the platform.

The letters C and'4 G2 indicate chains, one end of veach of which is attached to the vertical shaft V, below the car-bottom, so that as the said shaft is turned the chains are Wound thereon. To the end of the chain U (the other end of it beingattached to the shaft V, as before described) there is connected a rod, Il', and at the other end of the latter it is attached by a pivoted connection to the angular turn-lever L, the angular corner of the latter being pivoted to the lower end of the hanger h', with -the other end of said angular lever L, making a pivoted connection With the lever Z2. The other end of this lever Z2 is pivoted to the end of the forked lever Z1', and the latter at its other end is pivoted to the face of the plate p', Which plate, at its upper end, p2, is hinged to the under side of the car-bottom.

Theletter G indicates a coupler gear-wheel IOO having beveled cogs, with its .shaft or pintle p3 projected from the face of this plate, the said coupler gear-wheel turning on said shaft or pintle, but not with it. At one end of this shaft or pintle, where passing on through the gear-wheel coupler, it is forked, as indicated at F, and at its other end, frontward of the hinged plate p, it rest-s in a hanger, h2, the function of which forked end will be subsequently described.

Vith the foregoing parts constructed as shown and described, when the chain C2 is, by means of the hand-wheel`II, wound onto the vertical shaft V through the connection with the'rod B', angular turn-lever L, attached lever Z2, pivoted lever b', and the hinged plate p', the latter and the coupler gear-wheel G are moved forward; and when this hold or tension upon the hand-wheel is released from the connection so made, the said parts are returned to the position they were in before being acted upon by the said hand-wheel. By the action of the spring a, one end of which is attached to the car-bottom at e', and the other end of which spring passes through a stirrup, t, which is by a slotted pivotal connection attached to said angular lever L and lever Z2, as'indicated at y, the foregoing factors being employed to connect and disconnect the mechanism that stores up the momentum, ofthe car in stopping the latter.

The letter I designates a ratchet-wheel that is made with perimetral rim-anges f j", that subtend the pins or teeth which form the ratchet, and so as to produce outside of the latter an encircling flange-trough to receive therein an encircling chain, K, that connects with a coil-spring, E, said chain being adapted to hook into said ratchet-wheel, as will be subsequently described.

rl`he letters G2 and G3 indicate two beveled vgear-wheels, which are separated from each other. That being designated at Gis used when the gear-coupler wheel G is connected to actuate the ratchet-wheel I to wind up the spring. This gear-wheel G3 moves on a bearing that is sleeved onto the axle of the ear, and the gearwheel G2, to which said sleeve N is attached,

is keyed to the said aXle to move with it and geared connection therewith, and said coupler there is pivoted an angular form hook-holder,

wn, the horizontal arms of which are curved downwardly and upwardly, and at the top of said hanger Y there are pivoted two fingers, w w, each of which from where attached is extended downwardly -between the angular form hook-holders m and the said hanger Y. Upon the back of this hanger Y there are two leaf-springs, 7c 7c, which at their upper ends, where nearest the car-bottom, are attached to said hanger with their lower ends against the fiat backs of the said angular form hook-holders m, and so that the latter are moved on their pivoted end connection against the force of said springs lo k. p

The letter d designates abar that is attached to the front face of the plate p', and which bar projects laterally from the side of said plate, so as to be back of the said fingers w w.

The letter B2 designates a hook on the end of the chain K, and this hook is made with the laterally-extended arms b2 b2 and the intermediately-arranged and downwardly-projected prong b3, the said arms being for the said hook to engage with, so as to rest upon the curved arms of the angular form hook-holder m when not engaged with the ratchet-wheel.

The parts thus constructed to hook the chain Kionto the ratchet-wheel operate as follows: When the plate p is moved forward, as before described, to connect the gear-coupler G and the gear-wheels-G2 and G3, the horizontal bar d', attached to said plate, is also moved at the same time, and this bar engages with, so as to move forward, the two ngers ww, and the latter in sequence move out the hook B2 on the angular form-holders until the prong -of the hook catches into one ofthe teeth ofthe ratchetwheel I, which, as actuated by the axle of the ear through the gear-wheels G'l G3 and the coupler-gear G,winds up the chainKand the spring E, the chain as wound by the ratchet being in the groove formed by its rim-1ianges j" f.' W'hen the tension producing this result isreleased from the hand-wheel H, then the accumulated force stored up in the spring E bythe stoppage of the car is expended on the aXle of the car to move thelatter forward. In the meantime, as the chain is unwound from off the ratchet-wheel onto the drum D, until the stop in the chain at s4 reaches the staple T, the hook is also drawn back by the action of the spring and chain to rest on the arms of the hook-holders, that portion ofthe chain between the stop on the chain and the hook being slack and without tension. The spring E is a coilspring,which at its inner end is attached to the bar Z, as indicated at 0*, and the outer end of the spring is attached to the inner side of the drum D2, as designated at a, so that as the drum Dzis turned on its bearings on the'said bar Z, the spring is wound up thereby. On the outer edges of the drum there is formed an encircling trough, M, and the chain Kis attached to the said drum at the bottom of this trough. By means of the crank-arm U on the bar Z the IOO IIO

spring E is in part Wound up, so as to wind the` chain K onto the drum under a state of tension between the stop s on the chain Where held by the staple 'I and Where attached to the drum, when the crank-arm and shaft or bar Z are secured by a keeper, it, In this position, when the hook B2 is connected to the ratchet, the latter acts upon the spring under a state of tension. The ratchet-Wheel I and the gear` Wheel G3 both move together on the sleeve N, excepting when the tension upon the chain and spring as being Wound onto the ratchet is greater than the face force of the friction contact, by which the adjacent sides of the said ratchetwheel and the gear-wheel G3 are held in contact by the clutch-plate Di, bearing-plate d, and the set-screws X, arranged between said ratchet-Wheel and a iixed collar, c on the said sleeve N. This construction is so arranged to limit the amount of force to be stored up, and so that when this limit is reached, While the gear- Wheel Gr3 Will continue to turn with its connections, the ratchet-Wheel I will slip on its bearing on the sleeve I\I,-and the relative capacity at which it will so operate is regulated by said plates and set-screws. v

In the annex to Fig. 5, designated at O, there is shown an end view of the hub 71;* of the gear-Wheel G, and a segmental part of its gears. 'Ihis annex figure shows a ratcheted groove formed in revolution in the face of the hub, consisting of a series or inclines terminating in abrupt terminations, as indicated at g". c

The letters p6 indicate detentpins, of which there are several, each of which has a backing spiral spring, s, with the latter, and the pin in each case arranged in a tubular-form opening made in the end face of the hub h5 of the gear-Wheel G, with said pins therein placed so as to come opposite the ratcheted groove g" in the face of the other gear-Wheel. As thus arranged, when the gear-Wheels G2 and G'bz run in opposite directions the detentpins in the hub of the gear-Wheel G2 run over the inclines in the ratcheted groove, so as to drop from ofi the abrupt terminations,and engage with the latter to prevent the reverse rotation of the gear-Wheel G3, and the ratchet- Wheel I, which it operates. By this mechanism, when the chain is being unwound by the action oi' the spring, the Whole force ofthe latter is exerted on the circumference of said ratchet-,wheel I to turn the axle progressively, and thus to move the car ahead.

To the lower end of the vertical shaft V (arranged to be operated by the hand-wheel H, the chain G', and the rod R2) there connects the ordinary brake, and this is used to stop the car, as follows: TWhen the coupler gear:v wheel has been released from engagement and the car started ahead by the combined action of the chain K, the spring,and ratchet-Wheel, and it becomes necessary to stop the car suddenly, then 'the hand-wheel is' turned in a direction the same that it is turned to disconneet the coupler, but is turned much farther, and enough so to bring the brake B into contact with the car-wheel by Winding the chain C upon to said shaft V, a single turn of the said shaft being enough to release the coupler-gear, but it taking a number of turns in the same direction to put on the ordinary brake. Thus both methods of stopping the car can be operated from one and the same hand-wheel.

In driving horse-cars on an upgrade, when the car is stopped by the ordinary brake as generally used, the moment that the brake is released the car commences to run back, and this tendency the horses have to overcome before starting the car forward.

Then a car containing my invention is stopped on an upgrade, and the coupler is released, the stored np force ol' the spring is always enough to hold the car if not strong enough to start it ahead on an upgrade, and the heavy strain u-pon the animals is thus avoided. W'hen a car containing my improvement is running on a level, the mechanism in stopping the car stores up enough force when stopped to start lthe carforivard `when this force is released and made active.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. In a car-starter mechanism, the combination of the beveled gear-wheel G2, attached to the car-axle, the sleeve N, on and attached to the car-axle, the beveled gear-Wheel G3, constructed to turn on said sleeve, a ratcheted connection between the adjacent hubs of said gear-Wheels G2 and G5, the ratchet-wheel I, constructed to receive motion from said gear Wheel G3, and having its bearing on said sleeve, the coil-spring E, drum D2, chainK, hook B2, coupler gear-wheel G', the hand-Wheel H, and vertical shaft V, with an intermediate mechanism to connect and disconnect said coupler gear-Wheel and the gear-Wheels G2 and G3, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a car-starter mechanism, the combination of the shaft- V, the chain G2, the rod R, angular turn-lever L, the lever Z2, the hinged plate pf, the coupler gear-Wheel G', the fork F, the beveled gear-Wheels l# and G3, and the ratchet-Wheel I, with said parts constructed and arranged to operate substantially in the manner as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a car-starter mechanism, the combination ofthe spring E, drum D2, chain K, hook B2, the beveled gear-Wheels G2 and G", the hinged plate p', the bar d', the iingers w w, the springs 7c Ja, and the hook-holders m in., arranged to operate substantially in the manner as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a car-starter mechanism, the combination of the beveled gear-Wheel G2, constructed to move with the car-axle, the sleeve N, attached to said ear-axle, the gear-Wheel G3, the ratchet-Wheel I, with said ratchet-wheel and said gear-wheel G constructed to turn on said IOO IIO

sleeve,and the said gear-Wheel G3 to comn1ul 6. In a car-starter mechanism, the combina nicate motion to said ratchet-wheel, the ratch eted groove g4, in the hub end face of said gear-Wheel G3, and the detenta-pins p, and springs s, in the hub end face of the gear- Wheel G2, as and for the purposes set forth.v

5. In a carstarter mechanism, the combination of the gear-Wheel G2, attached tothe earaXle, the sleeve N, attached to the car-axle, the gear-Wheel G3, and the ratehet'wheel I, arranged to run on said sleeve, a ratcheted connection between the adjacent hub end faces of said Wheels G2 and G3, the friction-clutch plate D", the plate d5, setscreWs X, and the collar d, with said parts constructed and arranged to `operate substantially in the manner as and for the purposes set forth.

ltion of the hand-Wheel H, vertical shaft V, a'd

the chain C2, connected with an intermediate 2o mechanism to operate the coupler G', the gear- Wheels G2 and G3, the ratchet-Wheel I, and chain K and spring E, as shown, and the chain C and rod R2, 'connecting the shaft V with the brake B, as and foret-he purposes -set forth. 2 5 Signed at Troy, New York, this 26th day of March, 1884, and inthe presence of the two Witnesses whose names were by them hereto Written.

JOI-IN E. BROVN.

Vitnesses:

GEo. F. HYDE, v CHARLES S. BEINTNALL. 

